Electric cigarette lighter and dispenser



1934- H. H. LA VERCOMBE ELECTRIC CIGARETTE LIGHTER AND DISPENSER Filed April 8, 1933 2 shetssheet J.

INVENTOR. /42/4455;

ATTORNEY 11, 1934. H. H. LA VERCOMBE ELECTRIC CIGARETTE LIGHTER AND DISPENSER Filed April 8, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 11, 1934 PATENT orrlcs.

ELECTRIC CIGARETTE LIGHT AND- DISPENSER Harley H. La Veroombc, Wt, men.

Application April 8, 1938, Serial No. 5,152

12 Claims. (Cl. 312-) The present invention pertains to a novel c18 rette lighter and dispenser, and the principal obiect of the invention is to provide a device of this character which by simple manipulation performs the dual functions of lighting a cigarette and ejecting it so that it may readily be withdrawn. Cigarette dispensers and cigarette lighters as distinct instruments are known in the art, but the present invention provides a device wherein both functions are performed by the same operating movement. 7

Such a device is particularly useful on automobiles which, although at present equipped with electric lighters, provide no means for relieving the driver of the difficulty of fumbling through his pockets for a cigarette container and removing a cigarette from the container. The device described herein has an electric igniting unit which may be connected to the battery of the car in the same manner as present lighters. Further, the device is so constructed that it readily lends itself to the application of advertising matter thereon.

The invention also embodies improvements in cigarette dispensing means and in igniting means independently of each other. Consequently, these devices may be utilized independently of one another, and the invention contemplates such independent use, or in other words, the provision of a novel dispensing unit as well as a novel igniting unit.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the following description and in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of the device applied to a motor vehicle,

Figures 2 and 3 are front elevations thereof partly broken away to show the interior,

Figure 4 is a front elevation with the front wall removed,

Figure 5 is an end view,

Figures 6 and 7 are sections on the lines 6-6 and 7-7 respectively of Figure 4,

Figure 8 is a plan view with the cover removed,

Figure 9 is a detail elevation of the heating element; and

Figures 10 and 11 are sections on the lines 10-10 and 1111 respectively of Figure 9.

Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characters which are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

The device is embodied in a housing 1 which is preferably rectangular in cross section vertically and horizontally. The housing is supported in upright position by any suitable means which, in

the present instance, is illustrated as lugs 2 fastened by screws 3 to the windshield frame 4' of a motor vehicle as may be seen in Figure 1. It will be understood that the device may be similarly attached to any other part of the vehicle, as desired, such as the instrument board, or in fact may be mounted on a suitable base for desk or table use.

Into the open top of the housing is inserted a magazine or receptacle 5 which is also a rectangular member having downwardly converging bottom walls 6 defining an outlet 7. The receptacle is divided bya longitudinal partition 8 into two compartments 9, each adapted to hold a vertical column of cigarettes 10. The lower edge of the partition 8 lies at a considerable distance above the outlet 7. Immediately beneath this edge is mounted a shaft 12 carrying a flap 13 adapted to bring the compartments 9 selectively and individually into communication with the outlet 7, as clearly illustrated in Figures 8 and '1. The shaft 12 passes through the end walls of the housing 1 and carries external knobs 14 for oscillating the flap 13 as will presently appear.

One of the walls 6 has a depending vertical extension 15 and the other wall 6 has a longer vertical extension 16 with an inwardly turned lower edge 1'7. Beneath the extension 16 and slightly outwardly therefrom is a shaft 18 which is mounted in the extended end walls of the receptacle 5. Inwardly adjacent to this shaft is mounted a wing 19 having lateral lugs 21 at its ends by which it is fastened to the shaft 18. The member 19 is complementary in shape to the lower portion of the extension 16, 17 so that a cigarette may rest on the inturned parts of the members 16 and 19.

The shaft 18 is surrounded by a coil spring 22 having its ends bearing respectively against the member 19 and the adjacent wall of the housing to hold the member 19 under tension in the position shown in Figure 7. One end of the shaft passes through an end wall of the housing and carries a knob 23 for manipulation. At the upper edge of the member 19 is an outwardly extending horizontal flange 24 for a purpose which will presently appear.

It will be seen by reference to Figures 4 and 8 that the magazine 5 is of less length than the main housing 1, thereby leaving a space 25 at one end of the housing. A coil spring 26 surrounds the shaft 12 in this space, bearing against the parts 1 and 5 and thereby holding them and the shaft from rattling.

Immediatel beneath this space, an electrical 28 being in turn fastened to the end wall of the housing 1 by another screw 30. A suitable resistance wire 31 is mounted on the exposed face of the block 28 and has its ends secured to binding posts 32 and 33. The post 33 is of greater length than the post 32 as may be seen in Figures 2, 3, and 4, and adjacent to the post 33 is a similar contact 34 of the same length. The conductors 35 and 36, which are carried through the open bottom of the housing 1, are connected respectively to the posts 32 and 34 so that the circuit is open between the contacts 33 and 34.

The magazine is not as deep as the housing 1, and beneath the magazine is slidably mounted a cradle 3'7 having a seat 38 directly beneath the parts 16, 19 and adapted to receive a cigarette therefrom. The forward wall of the housing 1 has a horizontal slot 39 (Fig. 3). adjacent to the cradle, and a knob 40 extends from the cradle through this slot. A spring 41 (Fig. 2 and 4) joins the forward end of the cradle to a lower point on the remote end wall in a manner to withdraw the cradle from the heating unit. The cradle has downwardly converging walls 42 fitted against similar walls 43 at the bottom of the housing 1, and the inclined spring 41 thus draws these walls into mutual engagement so that the cradle is guided in a straight line when actuated by the knob 40.

The rearward portion of the cradle carries a cigarette engaging member 44 preferably in the form of a ferrule and in alignment with a discharge opening 45 (Fig. 2) in the adjacent end wall of the housing 1. The forward end of the cradle carries a swinging contact piece 46 having a lateral lug 47 pivotally attached to the cradle at 48.

The operation of the device will now be described. By manipulation of the knob 14, if necessary, a compartment 9 containing cigarettes is placed in communication with outlet 7. Originally both compartments are filled, and when one is emptied the other or reserve compartment is connected with the outlet 7 by swinging the flap 13. To deliver a cigarette from the parts 16, 19 to the cradle, the knob 23 is turned to swing the wing 19 against the tension of the spring 22 to the position shown in Figure 6. The lowermost cigarette drops into the seat 38 of the cradle, and at the same time the flange 24 holds the next upper cigarette and the remainder of the column from dropping. On release of the knob 23, the wing 19 returns to its normal position shown in Figure 7.

The knob 40 is next advanced in the slot 39 so that the cradle and the cigarette therein are moved toward the heating unit. The contact piece 46 is positioned to engage the extended contacts 33 and 34 of the heating unit and to complete the circuit through the resistance wire 31.

The pivotal mounting of the contact piece 46 makes it self-aligning.

The cigarette is held against the heating element until an adequate stream of smoke is seen issuing from the top of the device. For this purpose, a notch 49 (Fig. 1) is cut in the upper edge of one of the end walls of the housing, and the cover 50 mounted on the housing has a port 51 registering with the notch. These openings, in conjunction with the open bottom of the housing, provide a draft to aid in lighting the cigarette and to carry the smoke upwardly.

During the advancing movement of the cradle, the gripping ferrule 44 passes over the mouth end of the cigarette while the other end is held against the heating unit as a stop. When the cigarette has been properly lighted, the knob 40 is released, whereupon the spring 41 returns the cradle to the normal position shown in Figures 1 and 4. The ferrule 44, however, maintains a frictional hold on the cigarette in the ferrule, after having advanced on the cigarette as previously described, and thereby causes the mouth end of the cigarette to be projected through the discharge opening 45 as clearly shown in Figure 3. The user takes hold of this end and draws the lighted cigarette through the ferrule and out of the housing.

The ferrule extends through the discharge open-' ing in the retracted position but this relation of the parts is not essential.

The device is well adapted for advertising purposes. With this object in view any desired advertising matter may be depicted in any suitable form and by any suitable process on the face of the housing 1, as indicated by the numeral 52 in Figure 2 and the numeral 53 in Figure 3. Further, the top 50' of the cover slopes downwardly and forwardly to exhibit conspicuously any advertising matter thereon.

The front wall of the housing preferably has a slot 54 adjacent to the heating element to expose the burning end of the cigarette to view whereby the user may see when it is sufficiently lighted. Also, this slot exposes the glowing heating element, thereby adding to the attractiveness of the device.

It may now be seen that the device of this invention delivers only one cigarette at a time to the heating element and dispenses only one cigarette at a time. Thus, the remaining cigarettes are maintained at a safe distance from the heating element and there is no danger of their being lighted by contact with'the lighted cigarette. Also, the cigarettes fall freely to the cradle on manipulation of the proper knobs so that no agitation or pummelling of the cigarettes is necessary after a supply has been deposited in the container.

The device can readily be operated without visual attention from the automobile driver inasmuch as the manipulation of the knobs is a simple operation which can be performed automatically after a few practice trials. The operator soon learns to estimate how long the cigarette must be held in contact with the element to become lit.

In connection with the heating element, the zigzag formation thereof is important in that it does not have the cold center spot which is characteristic of a spirally coiled element. The zigzag element provides substantially uniform radiation from the surface covered thereby, and since the whole tip of the cigarette is engaged by the element, a perfect light on the tip is assured.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the inventon, as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a cigarette dispenser, a housing providing a receptacle for cigarettes, a cigarette lighter carried by said housing, a cradle adapted to receive cigarettes from said receptacle and movable lengthwise towards and away from said lighter, means carried by said cradle adapted to irictionaliy engage a cigarette in the cradle during lengthwise sliding movement of the latter, and a discharge opening in. said housing opposite said lighter and adapted to receive the unlighted end of a cigarette held by said means.

2. In a cigarette dispenser, a housing providing a receptacle for cigarettes, an electric cigarette lighter carried by said housing, a cradle adapted to receive cigarettes from said receptacle and movable lengthwise towards and away from said lighter, means carried by said cradle adapted to Irictionally engage a cigarette in the cradle during lengthwise sliding movement of the latter, the circuit of said lighter being normally open, a member adapted to close said circuit on movement of the cradle towards the lighter, said housing h ying a discharge opening opposite said lighter a d adapted to receive the unlighted end oi! a cigarette held by said means.

3. In a cigarette dispenser, a housing providing a. receptacle for cigarettes, a cigarette lighter carried by said housing, a cradle adapted to receive cigarettes from said receptacle and movable towards and away from said lighter, means carried by said cradle adapted to frictionally engage a cigarette in the cradle on movement of the cradle towards said lighter, said housing having a discharge opening opposite said lighter, said cradle being adapted to project through said opening the unlighted end of a cigarette held by said means.

4. In a cigarette dispenser, a housing providing a receptacle for cigarettes, an electric cigarette lighter carried by said housing, a cradle adapted to receive cigarettes from said receptacle .and movable towards and away from said lighter,

means carried by said cradle adapted to frictionally engage a cigarette in the cradle on movement oi. the cradle towards said lighter, the circuit of said lighter being normally open, a member adapted to close said circuit on movement of the cradle towards said lighter, said housing having a discharge opening opposite said lighter, said cradle being adapted to project through said opening the unlighted end of a cigarette held by said means.

5. In a cigarette dispenser, a housing providing a receptacle for cigarettes, a stop carried by said housing, a cradle adapted to contain a cigarette and movable lengthwise towards and away from said stop to bring one end of the cigarette against said stop, means carried by said cradle adapted to irictionally, engage a cigarette in the cradle during the lengthwise movement of the latter towards said stop, said housing having a discharge opening opposite said stop and adapted to receive the other end of a cigarette held by said means.

6. In a cigarette dispenser, a housing providing a receptacle for cigarettes, a stop carried by said ousing, a cradle adapted to contain a cigarette and movable towards and away from said stop to bring one end of the cigarette against said stop, means carried by said cradle adapted to advance with movement of said cradle towards said stop and to frictionally engage a cigarette in the cradle, said housing having a discharge opening opposite said stop, said cradle being adapted to project through said opening the remaining end of the cigarette held by said means.

'7. In a cigarette dispenser, a housing providing a receptacle for cigarettes, a cigarette lighter carried by said housing, a cradle adapted to receive cigarettes from said receptacle and movable lengthwise towards and away from said lighter, means carried by said cradle adapted to trictionally engage a cigarette in the cradle during lengthwise slidlngmovement oi' the latter, said housing having a discharge opening opposite said lighter and adapted to receive the unlighted end of a cigarette held by said means; and a spring connected to said housing and cradle and tending to draw the latter away from said lighter.

8. In a cigarette dispenser, a housing providing a receptacle for cigarettes, a stop carried by said housing, a cradle adapted to contain a cigarette and movable lengthwise towards and away from said stop to bring one end of the cigarette against said stop, means carried by said cradle adapted to Irlctionally engage a cigarette in the cradle during the lengthwise movement or the latter towards said stop, said housing having a discharge opening opposite said stop and adapted to receive the other end of a cigarette held by said means, and a spring connected to said housing and cradle and tending to draw the latter away from said stop.

9. In a cigarette dispensr, a housing providing a receptacle for cigarettes, a cigarette lighter carried by said housing, a cradle adapted to receive cigarettes from said receptacle and movable towards and away from said lighter, a member between said receptacle and cradle for delivering cigarettes individually to said cradle, means carried by said cradle adapted to irictionally engage a cigarette in the cradle during sliding movement of the latter toward said lighter, said housing having a discharge opening opposite said lighter and adapted to receive the unlighted end of a cigarette held by said means during movement of the cradle away from said lighter.

10. In a cigarette dispenser, a housing providing a receptacle for cigarettes, a stop carried by said housing, a cradle adapted to contain a cigarette and movable towards and away from said stop to bring one end of the cigarette against said stop, a member between said receptacle and cradle for delivering cigarettes individually to said cradle, means carried by said cradle adapted to frictionally engage a cigarette in the cradle during the movement of the latter towards said stop, said housing having a discharge opening opposite said stop and adapted to receive the other end of a cigarette held by said means during movement of the cradle away from said stop.

11. In a cigarette dispenser, a housing providing a receptacle for cigarettes, a cigarette lighter carried by said housing, a cradle adapted to receive cigarettes from said receptacle and movable towards and away from said lighter, a member between said receptacle and cradle for de-- liverlng cigarettes individually to said cradle, a partition dividing said receptacle lengthwise into two cigarette compartments, a flap pivotally mounted at the lower end of said partition to connect said compartments selectively with said member, means carried by said cradle adapted to frictionally engage a cigarette in the cradle during sliding movement of the latter toward said lighter, said housing having a discharge opening opposite said lighter and adapted to receive the unlEghted end of a cigarette held by said means during movement of the cradle away from said lighter.

12. In a cigarette dispenser, a housing providing a receptacle for cigarettes, a stop carried by said housing, a cradle adapted to contain a cigarette and movable towards and away from.

eee om cradle adapted to frictionally engage a cigarette in the cradle during the movement of the latter towards said stop, said housing having a discharge opening opposite said stop and adapted to receive the other end of a cigarette held by said means during movement of the cradle away from said stop.

' HARIEY H. LA VERCOMBE. 

